The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has finalized two major projects to upgrade Murree Road from Saddar to Faizabad, including the addition of new service lanes between Liaquat Bagh and Chandni Chowk. The proposed work carries an estimated cost of Rs. 9 billion.
RDA Director General Kinza Murtaza said the Punjab government asked civic bodies to submit improvement plans for Rawalpindi. In response, the RDA prepared two separate schemes to rehabilitate Murree Road, which remains the busiest corridor between Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
She said Murree Road’s condition has deteriorated significantly and requires urgent rehabilitation to ensure smoother travel for daily commuters. Under the first project, the RDA plans to build service roads on both sides from Liaquat Bagh to Chandni Chowk.
The project, valued at Rs. 8.1 billion, will make the corridor signal-free from Marrir Chowk to Faizabad. She said the detailed design will be finalized after the provincial government releases funds, while surveys for land acquisition are already underway.
According to Kinza Murtaza, most of the allocated funds will be spent on acquiring land, and the widened corridor will improve traffic capacity and ease congestion. Existing service lanes between Chandni Chowk and Faizabad will complement the new additions.
Under the second project, the RDA will spend Rs. 953 million to rehabilitate the main Murree Road stretch from Saddar Flashman’s to Faizabad. The plan includes re-carpeting, which has not been carried out since 2014, following the construction of the Metro Bus elevated track.
She said the RDA has formally requested funding from the Punjab government and will submit the schemes under the city’s upcoming mega development package.